
Que No, Que No, Que No Nos Representan: La Junta de ¡Plataforma Democracia Real Ya! 2011
Con la crisis financiera de 2008, España atravesó una etapa marcada por un desempleo descomunal, recortes de austeridad severos y el debilitamiento extremo del Estado del bienestar. La indignación social se intensificó cuando tanto el gobierno de Zapatero como la posterior oposición del PP priorizaron los rescates bancarios frente al bienestar ciudadano, profundizando así las desigualdades existentes. La confianza en los dos grandes partidos, PSOE y PP, se vino abajo entre escándalos de corrupción y una sensación generalizada de abandono. Sin una alternativa política clara, la gente empezó a entender que, si querían un cambio real, tendrían que construirlo ellos mismos.
De ese malestar surgió “¡Democracia Real Ya!” (DRY), una plataforma descentralizada formada por sindicatos estudiantiles, activistas anti-desahucios y personas de a pie que exigían el fin de la corrupción, una reforma electoral y una democracia de verdad. La protesta convocada para el 15 de mayo prendió la chispa del Movimiento 15-M, llenando la Puerta del Sol y muchas plazas del país con miles de personas gritando “¡No nos representan!”. Como parte de DRY, representando a sus distintas corrientes —desde colectivos anarquistas hasta ONG reformistas— te enfrentarás no solo a un sistema político corrupto, sino también a los viejos pactos de la Transición, que blindaron el bipartidismo tras la muerte de Franco. Mientras el PP se aprovecha del miedo al caos y la inestabilidad, el 15-M ya ha cambiado las reglas del juego. ¿Te lanzarás a la acción directa y la desobediencia digital, arriesgándote a ser tachado de extremista? ¿O buscarás alianzas con sindicatos y sectores progresistas del PSOE? Todo se complica con las múltiples crisis que atraviesa el país: el conflicto catalán, una generación joven atrapada en la precariedad, y el recuerdo aún vivo de los años 70. ¿Será esta revolución el inicio de una verdadera democracia o del desorden total?
Reeling from the 2008 financial crash, the country faced soaring unemployment, brutal austerity cuts, and a gutted social safety net. Public fury mounted as Prime Minister Zapatero’s Socialist government—and later the conservative opposition—prioritized bank bailouts over welfare, widening the chasm of inequality. Trust in Spain’s two dominant parties, PSOE and PP, evaporated amid corruption scandals and perceived betrayal. Following a series of political scandals, there is little public trust in the two major political parties, and with no alternative to turn to, the citizens of Spain realize they have to make their own change. From this turmoil emerged “¡Democracia Real Ya!” (DRY) – Real Democracy Now! – a decentralized alliance of student unions, anti-eviction activists, and ordinary citizens demanding an end to corruption, electoral reform, and real democracy. Their May 15 protest call sparked the 15-M Movement, flooding Madrid’s Puerta del Sol and cities across Spain with crowds chanting “No nos representan!”—"They don’t represent us!"
As delegates embody DRY's fractious factions - from anarchist collectives to reformist NGOs - you'll battle not just Spain's corrupt political establishment but also the ghosts of the Transition: a system rigged since Franco's death to favor the two-party duopoly. The PP's victory seems inevitable as they exploit fears of instability, but the 15-M Movement has already rewritten the rules overnight. Will you escalate with radical bank occupations and digital direct action (risking media demonization as "violent extremists"), or build bridges with sympathetic unions and progressive PSOE members? Every decision is complicated by Spain's multilayered crises: Catalan separatism boiling over, a lost generation of mileuristas (young workers earning under €1000/month), and the haunting memory of the 1970s - will revolution bring democracy or chaos?
Chair: Kiera Kayo Shinoda Foley
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Kiera Shinoda Foley is a member of the Class of 2027 in the Georgetown College of Arts & Sciences pursuing degrees in Spanish & Portuguese Studies and Linguistics. Originally from the other (and superior) Washington, she traded in Seattle for DC upon arrival at the Hilltop, but also has family in Japan and the UK. Kiera never originally planned to join Model UN at Georgetown (after committing all of her time to DECA in high school…), but has somehow managed to staff NCSC LII, NAIMUN LXI & LXII (our high school conference), and conferences in China, Colombia, and France. Last year, she had the privilege of serving as NCSC LII’s Director of Business Development and is excited to pivot from managing the conference’s stakeholder relationships to managing a room of collegiate delegates in the first bilingual committee EVER run in NCSC’s 53-year history. Beyond the Georgetown Model UN bubble, Kiera finds herself exclusively taking classes with less than 10 people (shoutout to the Portuguese department), saving lives at the Yates Pool, and working alongside global non-profits with Georgetown Global Consulting. On a serious note, Kiera cannot wait to design NCSC’s bilingual committee debut as someone who strongly believes that deeply engaging with different languages can diversify global perspectives on some of the world’s most pressing issues – ¡nos vemos pronto!
CRisis Manager:
Laura Alcalá Penelas
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Laura Alcalá Penelas is proud to be a part of Georgetown’s Walsh School of Foreign Service Class of 2028, studying International Politics. She was born in Madrid, Spain, and moved to Miami, Florida, when she was 8, later relocating to Broward, Florida. Laura grew up playing volleyball, doing theatre, and volunteering at animal shelters (as well as working at a pet store). In high school, she developed a love for Model UN and Lincoln-Douglas Debate (absolutely HATED spreading), and was also involved in School Board politics. Now, she travels with the Georgetown MUN team, where she’s had the chance to compete in multiple bilingual committees—one of the reasons she’s so excited to CM the first-ever Spanish bilingual committee for NCSC. Laura has previously staffed NCSC, NAIMUN, and DistrictMUN. Outside of MUN, she worked as a barista at Coffee Republic and now works at the Alumni House engagement center. Since she loves yapping and animals, you might catch her petting or babysitting dogs around Georgetown—or sprinting across campus on random side quests. Laura also loves the beach and dancing, so even though she misses living in Florida, you’ll definitely find her at the social, making sure everyone’s having a good time and advocating for Spanish music on the playlist (if that’s your vibe too, she’s got your back). She can’t wait to see people excited about participating in this bilingual committee, and hopes it’s not only a meaningful learning experience about Spain’s history, but also a fun and creative one!
USG: Rachel Styslinger
This committee is in the Boards & Agencies Organ, and your Under-Secretary General is Rachel Styslinger. Committees in this organ are professional organizations and institutions with around 22 delegates.
If you have any questions about your committee, please reach out to r.styslinger@modelun.org.